Grevillea ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’

Plant of the month: March

Also Known As: prince of wales grevillea

Native To: parents native to Australia

Blooms: winter to spring

Habitat: this cultivar is of garden origin

Where Found At BBG&G: Arid House

With its bunches of striking orange and yellow, waxy flowers, this prolific flowering Grevillea provides a nice splash of colour this time of the year. The lanceolate leaves are covered with sparse silky hairs and have margins. Grevilleas are in the Proteaceae family, and are native to Australasia.

Grevillea `Bonnie Prince Charlie’ is a hybrid between G. rosmarinifolia and G. alpina and was named after Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales. As a compact dwarf shrub, it grows well in containers, but it must be planted in a free draining, ericaceous (acid) potting medium.

For best results, trim and remove the spent flowers to encourage vigorous growth and flowering. It is essential to keep the plant on the dry side as overwatering often kills Grevilleas.

Remember, fertiliser rich in phosphorus should not be used as it can kill members of the Protea family.